May 09
2012

The Purple.
IN WHICH the guy who comes before "Esque" shares his deep depth, and then links you to a vid of him as a poop coach.

"YeahbuhWHUH?"

--Kitty Pryde

Dear Friends,

Well, it's been quite a weekend. Someday, long from now, I will even have an emotional reaction to it, like a person would. I can't wait! But before I become blinded by this "emotion" experience, there's a few things I'd like to say. Well, type.

People have told me that this matters, that my life is about to change. I am sure that is true. And change is good -- change is exciting. I think -- not to jinx it -- that I may finally be recognized at Comiccon. Imagine! Also, with my percentage of "the Avengers" gross, I can afford to buy... [gets call from agent. Weeps manfully. Resumes typing.] ...a fine meal. But REALLY fine, with truffles and s#!+. And I can get a studio to finance my dream project, the reboot of "Air Bud" that we all feel is so long overdue. (He could play Jai Alai! Think of the emotional ramifications of JAI ALAI!!!!)

What doesn't change is anything that matters. What doesn't change is that I've had the smartest, most loyal, most passionate, most articulate group of -- I'm not even gonna say fans. I'm going with "peeps" -- that any cult oddity such as my bad self could have dreamt of. When almost no one was watching, when people probably should have STOPPED watching, I've had three constants: my family and friends, my collaborators (often the same), and y'all. A lot of stories have come out about my "dark years", and how I'm "unrecognized"... I love these stories, because they make me seem super-important, but I have never felt the darkness (and I'm ALL about my darkness) that they described. Because I have so much. I have people, in my life, on this site, in places I've yet to discover, that always made me feel the truth of success: an artist and an audience communicating. Communicating to the point of collaborating. I've thought, "maybe I'm over; maybe I've said my piece". But never with fear. Never with rancor. Because of y'all. Because you knew me when. If you think topping a box office record compares with someone telling you your work helped them through a rough time, you're probably new here. (For the record, and despite my inhuman distance from the joy-joy of it: topping a box office record is super-dope. I'm an alien, not a robot.) So this is me, saying thank you. All of you. You've taken as much guff for loving my work as I have for over-writing it, and you deserve, in this our time of streaming into the main, to crow. To glow. To crow and go "I told you so", to those Joe Blows not in the know. (LAST time I hire Dr. Seuss to punch my posts up. Yeesh!) Point being, you deserve some honor, AND you deserves some FAQs answered. So please welcome my old friend and certainly not-on-my-payroll reporter/flunky, Rutherford D. Actualperson!

RDA: So good to see you, young Joss! is it possible you've gotten more attractive since we last spoke, and less fungal in odor?

JW: Thanks for noticing. Let's talk.

RDA: "the Scavengers" is a huge success! Does this mean you have changed the very fabric of existence?

JW: Dude, it's just a movie. Also, yes.

RDA: I've seen a lot of a talk about "the Availers" vs "the Dark Knight Rises". How will you feel if you're eclipsed by Nolan?

JW: I'm glad I made you ask that. I will feel sad. But let's look at the bigger picture, and I can't say this enough: THIS IS NOT A ZERO SUM GAME. Our successes, whoever has the mostest, are a boon to each other. We're in the business of proving that superhero movies aren't just eye-candy (they're eye-TRUFFLES!). People seem intent on setting us against each other, and though I'm proud to be Woody Strode to Nolan's Kirk Douglas, I think they're missing the point. Whatever TDKR does on its first weekend, the only stat that matters to me is the ticket I'M definitely buying. Nolan and Raimi INVENTED the true superhero flick, yo. (Special mention to Jon Favreau and James Gunn.) Happy to be in the mix.

RDA: What does this mean for your upcoming slate of tiny independent films/Internet shenanigans? Will they fall by the wayside?

JW: There may be new ideas realized -- I always leave myself open to that -- but my commitment to Wastelanders and Dr H.2 does not waver. Those stories bubble on my stove.

RDA: And TV?

JW: TV is my great love. To tell stories with that alacrity, intensity, and immediacy... Nothing quite like it. I imagine it's not dissimilar to the feeling great poker players have: "Here's what I got, here's where I'm going... How to trick everybody into thinking I know what I'm doing?" [Full disclosure : Joss hates poker. He is probably talking about bridge. But it should apply nonetheless.].

RDA: What message would you give fans of "the Lavenders" who are not so familiar with your previous work?

JW: "Cabin In the Woods": still in (some) theaters!

RDA: Is 'the Ravengers" a perfect movie? It did get an A+ cinemascore...

JW: There are very few perfect movies. "The Court Jester", "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest", "Godfather" I & II... The list does not go on and on. "The Avengers" is notably IMperfect, which makes its success mean so much more to me -- because it's striking a chord that matters MORE than its obvious flaws. Like the team, it appears to be more than the sun of its parts. Boo-yah!

RDA: What do you feel is the greatest achievement of "the Avoiders"?

JW: Getting "mewling quim" out there to the masses. Also, Hulk.

RDA: Anyone in particular you'd like to thank?

JW: [Reads from notecard]. I couldn't have done this myself. Part of this Saturn Award belongs to Jeremy Latcham, Kevin Feige, and the fine Marvel folk... But the secret ingredient is my closest peeps: J-Mo, who did uncredited punch-up work (carrier battle, yo!), Z-bro, Drew "I am Loki only taller and foppier" Goddard, and Kai, all of whom worked the story with me. Without them (and Jeremy), I'd still be figuring out how the Wasp fits in to this, and where to put Red Hulk.

RDA: What's next for Joss "finally got it right for a change" Whedon?

JW: Can we not call me that?

RDA: Just deal. Whut up?

JW: I really think we should discuss that nickname, but I'm finishing "Much Ado About Nothing" this month. If you liked "the Avengers", you'll love... I can't. It's Shakespeare. And not in the park. I hope it gets watched.

So, that's our post! Hope you enjoyed it. Hope you'll continue to carry the banner even though other people may have joined the parade. (Kind of a gay pride/Newsies vibe: sentence accomplished!) Hope you understand how I feel. Cliff notes: grateful.

I am an "old"... Whedonette? Been one for more than half my life, but I'm fairly new to Whedonesque and my heart just made a small (who am I kidding, a giant) jump when I saw this post. Bless you, Joss. Bless you.

Yes, we did know you when (God, I still remember sitting down to watch the pilot of BtVS in 1997 and thinking: cheesy but entertaining! I think shall keep watching.. flashforward 15 years later...) but really, it's been our honor.

I can't textually express how much joy and goodness your work has given me through the years. And to feel even a millionth part responsible for the recent possibly life-changing success is verklempt-making.

You know what? Part of me did think 'I wonder if there'll be a Joss post, just for us, about this stuff. Because that would be really very cool'. And then I thought 'He's probably kind of busy right now. Don't be greedy.' But that was, y'know, really very cool.

Where else would you find the creator (whose work) we all know and love come here after make huge piles of green, to thank the people who stood by him "back when"?

Thank you Joss, for making the shows we care(d) about, characters we still miss when we're not watching your work again, giving us TWO movies that I couldn't help but see three times (because what else would I spend my money on... food?), and just all 'round being Jossome. Can't wait to see Much Ado, DH2 and In Your Eyes.

Is it just me or does anyone else now have an image in their heads of Joss being interviewed by Richard Dean Anderson? Which would actually probably be very cool to see...

And also, why did Richard change his middle name to Timothy half way through the interview? The credits of any future Stargate TV movies just won't look the same! ;)

Congrats, Joss! I doubt anyone ever expected that the apocalypse of 2012 would revolve around the explosion of your fanbase, but that's how it's going to happen. You, sir, have brought on the end of the world. Ironic...

So now, that we have to "share" you with the rest of the world, it feels half thrilling, half scary... Because, now, we know that nothing will be the same and yet, we know that you will always be the same.
And we will always be here to carry the banner.

Big congrats for the new world domination!
And most off all, THANK YOU!!!!! Merci! <3

It's difficult to think of a suitable response, other than I just nearly choked to death on some coffee - MY coffee? Possibly... - from a mixture of laughter and throat lump-age. I can only add my voice to the kajillions whose work and universes would be poorer without the work and universes of JW, esq. Whenever I'm working on a film, I think, "What would Joss do?" and then waste valuable days in court for breaking on to his set instead of showing up at my own. So, probably not a good example. But gratitude abounds.

Oh Joss,
There you are to constantly remind us why we love you and stick by you after all these years, you give back so much, and i was so ridiculously proud when i saw Avengers on the big screen on its opening day here in Australia. I kept thinking 'our Joss made this. A guy i have *met* made this amazing bloody movie and every single person in this cinema is laughing and cheering and clapping.' is this really happening??

I got a little teary, I won't lie.

Thank you for still being 'our Joss'. you are and always have been a freaking mastermind and all round awesome human being :)

Between The Cabin in the Woods and Avengers, I've never had so much fun at the cinema. Except that time I invaded France and watched The Matrix, but we don't speak about that time of my life.

For those who missed it - Jed and Maurissa Tancharoen worked on The Avengers. Between writing songs on Dr Horrible, writing Dr Horrible, winning an Emmy.. you get the picture. And Dollhouse (Remains!). And Spartacus. And making an album. And an EP. J-Mo are going to take over the world. Or at least a portion of your TV, cinema or ears. And I'm going to Nikki Finke that up. I mean, "TOLDJA!", not anything weird involving Nikki.

Yay, that lit up my day -- a million thanks, Joss, and of course congrats for that amazing little assembly you brought to the big screen! I'm gonna watch it for the fourth time tonight, hope that helps with the fine meal...

And it really warms my heart that you still hang out with us instead of dumping us for the rich and beautiful ;-). Also, looking forward to DrH2!

I wish I could claim that I was a fan 'way way back when', but unfortunately I only discovered Joss's work last year, when I watched 'Buffy' for the first time (in my defence, I was only 4 when 'Buffy' first started) and fell in love with the series. Then I very quickly made my way through 'Angel', 'Firefly', 'Dollhouse' etc. and realised that I wasn't just in love with 'Buffy' but all of Joss's works.

Anyway, got to go. I'm finally off to see this little known film called 'The Avengers'. I'm sure it will be awesome.

Joss Whedon, I have to go to work now to push fantasy novels (it'd be comic books but I ran out of money) into the hands of middle schoolers but I'm gonna be back later with a big post full of crazy (and only mildly creepy!) love for you.

Other Whedonesquers, by which I mean not just folks at this site but the whole Whedon fandom, I love you too!

Thanks for that Joss.
I've waited a long time to see The Avengers and Cabin in the Woods and they were both really entertaining. It's good to see something you've made again and I'm looking forward to your next projects.
Thank you for creating, you make the world (well, at least my world) a little better =]

Joss...you're amazing. I still need to see Cabin In The Woods and The Avengers.

Discovered you, surprisingly, through Dr. Horrible and watched Firefly soon after. Gotta get started on Buffy and Angel and Dollhouse. Hopefully I have the patience to get through the series. I have a hard time watching series for some reason.

Finally saw the movie this weekend and loved it! Also, it was my first time seeing a Joss movie in theaters (Serenity wasn't released in theaters where I live...) and I felt this warm and fuzzy feeling inside when the movie ended and I was finally able to see the words "a Joss Whedon film" on the big screen!

(note: Cabin In the Woods only gets here in August! Ugh!)

But anyway, my friend who watched the Avengers with me thought it was silly that I felt PROUD when I saw Joss' name on the big screen, she doesn't GET IT! But I know my fellow Whedonettes do, so that's good enough.

Good on you, Purple Man! We've been saying for years you would rule the world someday... now the rest of the world is catching up on it too!

Mr. Joss, I've seen this Avengers thing twice now, and I kinda freakin' love it. Right now I cannot find the right words to describe how I feel about all the many episodes, films, comics, and mushortios you and your gang have shared with us over the years, so I'll just leave it with these two:

This is amazing. Despite time commitments and promotions that would kill lesser people, you still find time to come here and send thanks. Amazing! (I feel like Wallace Shawn in "The Princess Bride" or at least I feel like I am quoting him...).

First Cabin in the Woods and now Avengers, my cup runs over with goodness. You gave me my first vampire love..Spike, then Capt Tight Pants, and he went away way to soon. Let's just say that anything that has Joss Whedon on it is watched and then bought. Thank you for wonderful stories.

This post made me very happy, so thank you!
I enjoyed seeing the Avengers with the 14 other people in my class (we study film) and finding out that they all loved it as much as I did. They readily agreed whenever I complimented the director/writer which was definitely welcome.

The best part is how sales of Shawarma are skyrocketing everywhere. 20 years from now are history classes going to be discussing how the single most important step towards peace in/near/on/with/over/roundabout the middle east is the mention of an ethnic food in a comic book movie?

I'm just so happy. So very happy that this is all happening to Joss.
After all of those years of telling my friends how incredibly amazing Joss Whedon is, they will finally get to see for themselves. We're going to see the Avengers again today, and I am trying so hard to not to say "I told you so."

I've told them so many times before but they wouldn't listen, and now they can see for themselves.

Just, thank you Joss Whedon, for creating my all time favorite show Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Those characters and the stories you told with those characters will stick with me for a lifetime.
Also Firefly,Angel and Dollhouse will always be special to me.
I've been a fan since I was 12, going on 19 years old now and I'm just as invested in the Whedonverse as I've ever been.

I'm a little worried about my sanity right now, I've turned into a totally obsessed uber-geek recently and the world feels like a very surreal place what with "A Joss Whedon Film" appearing in the credits for the biggest movie ever... Is it really happening?

Thank you Joss. This was very gracious of you.
I'm the fan peep that others come to when they discover things like the video linked to above. "What is that?" they cry. "Why and wherefore?" And thanks to other peeps who have done their homework, I could make an educated guess how this came about. But I'd love to hear the actual story.

Congratulations, Jossir. We'll always have your back! THANK YOU for everything you've created over the years and for all the stories you've yet to tell.

Thank you for reminding us via purple prose why we're all here (FYI, it's because of you and your awesomeness, not box office records). Finally, thank you for giving us all a reason to cheer and say, "I TOLD YOU SO" to everyone who may have questioned our (only slightly) creepy love and devotion to everything you've made.

oh, just need to mention for the umpteenth time: I absolutely cannot wait to see Wastelanders. Just the descriptions of it I've read so far has me completely excited. I hope it's dark, dreamy and poetic and completely off the rails strange.

I mean, what else can one expect from the combination of Joss Whedon + Warren Ellis?

Great to hear... (Read) from you Joss! Avengers was AMAZIN' Maybe not perfect but DAMN close!

Really cant wait to see what personal projects (besides the obvious) you pursue with you're hard earned mullah. So glad to hear Much Ado is nearing completion, REALLY hope i get a chance to see it soon, somehow!

Keep up the great work Joss, we'll always be hear ready to experience the stories you have to tell, and enjoy every minute of it! (Atleast almost... every minute.)

Congratulations on your success, Joss! And thank you so much for dropping by. I rubbed my eyes when I checked the site, thinking I was still dreaming. Echoes of Sally Field flew through my head--"He likes us! He likes us! He still really likes us!"

Now more awake and sober, may I just say that you cannot imagine how enriched I feel in having stumbled across Buffy (literally stumbled--I was on a treadmill watching Pangs at the time, and I was laughing so hard I nearly fell off the machine)and how much I have translated what I have learned from your work and your example over the years into my own teaching. And thank you, too for your work on behalf of women globally. Again, that enrichment thing.

Joss, I had been hearing about Buffy for years, but never took a look until the rumors started that you were doing a musical episode, and I thought, Musical? Now, this sounds intriguing. . . I checked into the Whedonverse, and never left. Thank you for all the years of thought-provoking, gut-wrenching, glee-filled entertainment. And congratulations on the success of your most wonderful movie, The Absolvers.

(And if you were to collaborate with Stephen Sondheim, my fan girl/theater-geek heart would burst with joy . . . Burton already did Sweeney, but you could take a spin at Into The Woods or Evening Primrose, or well, any of his shows!)

Joss: I congratulate you. I'm glad you finally broke the box office records and made the non-nerds squeal. I was never worried that anything would be different, except maybe your stories would change a few more lives, now that a few more people are listening. I really hope so.

Peeps: I'm pretty sure "mewling quim" is British for "whiny c**t." It's what Loki calls Black Widow. So maybe we shouldn't try to work it into our conversations.

Congratulations Joss! You deserve it!
Thank you for the many moments of pure awesomeness you've given us through all these years and for the many more to come (you + Shakespeare = YAY!!). I'm still working on seeing the Avengers and Cabin - I'll manage it eventually and they will have made my year (much of which has been pretty crappy so far)
:D

Joss, as one of those people who have been impacted (and positively at that!) by your work, I want to, again, say thank you! Buffy and Firefly got me through a difficult time (people just kept dying and leaving and then dying. It wasn't fun. Somehow a blond girl and her friends killing vampires and a bunch of cowboys riding around in a space ship helped make it better.). You tell important stories in amazing ways and there's funny! So many people forget the funny. So, thanks! And major congrats on the awesome and hugeness that is Avengers. Woo-hoo!

This has been the most exciting weekend for me in a very long time. I was glued to this website, when I wasn't at the theater, just reading about all the joy. Loved the movie and loved everyone else loving it too. Thank you Joss. If you're not busy on Memorial weekend you should drop by the Arizona Browncoats booth at Phx Comic Con. We'd love to give you a hug.

Nothing better than waking up to Purple Prose first thing in the morning... :) Joss, it's been a fantastic year in entertainment because of the things you've released this year, and I am so happy that with everything you create, more and more people are privy to your awesomeness!

Other people have said "thank you" way more eloquently than I ever could. Probably because I struggle to find words to accurately portray the changes your work has made in my life. (Maybe I could hunt up a thesaurus...) Just know that I will follow you through the highest highs and the lowest lows. (I won't mention which of those categories I think this AirBud reboot would fall into-although I can't argue with a Kevin Zegers cameo! ;)

Congrats to the massive success of The Avengers this past weekend and the weekends to follow (not to mention "Cabin", which all my friends are still talking about). Now, go take a nap or something!

Thank you, Joss! I too remember sitting down to the first episodes of Buffy to see if it was going to fulfill the potential promise of such an ironic name or just be silly exploitative trash. I remember feeling very satisfied and that I had found someone who got it as Giles said, "The earth is doomed." Since then I have taken strength from your journey of creating quality in spite of working with and in the corporate meat grinder. Even seeing you stumble occasionally gave me hope that I didn't have to lose my soul to survive in Corporate America because you were always striving to achieve by trying new things and never showing signs of giving up. Although that may seem like a small thing compared to many people's stories, it is a huge thing to me. I am thrilled that you knocked it out of the park in every way possible with the Avengers . CONGRATULATIONS!!

I'll admit that I did tweet Monday morning about feeling selfish- now the world will know the awesome that is Joss Whedon and I don't want to share. But of course I meant that if any new fans find what we have all found in your work and it affects them in positive ways then yes, tis a very good thing. I will share.

But we will always be your constant.

Congratulations on making it thru the dark years and for now being able to afford truffles :)

What are you doing up so early in the morning? You are supposed to be getting some rest! You have work to do on 'Much Ado About Nothing', 'In Your Eyes', Wastelanders, and 'Doctor Horrible 2'! No time to write to fans peeps; we aren't going anywhere, we will be right here if and when you need us. Which reminds me, weren't we supposed to get involved in something special for Equality Now/CSTS this year?!?!

What an awesomely perfect thing to wake up to. Years ago, Whedonesque would be the first blog (before blog was even a word) I checked every morning, and now it's twitter pointing me back here. However I got here today, the feeling of seeing a purple post is just as breathtaking and palpitation-inducing as it ever was. More.

As others have said, it's kind of weird that we have to share you now, but by the same token makes me teary-eyed with joy in that you are FINALLY being taken for the genius we've always known you to be.

I got to see Cabin at SX because one of your production staff took pity on me standing in the rain outside when everyone else had left, and found me a 'filmmaker's guest' ticket. I got to see you speak live that night for the very first time. I love that production staff guy!

I've seen Scavengers twice already, LOVE IT and will continue to go, bringing friends who are now more willing than ever to accompany me. THAT'S strange, too, and welcome. Not having to hog-tie people to get them to watch is quite nice - and less physical!

I remain your devoted peep, and wish that this was the proper forum to let you know how you and your stuff has vastly improved my life, in countless ways. Much.

I was in the theatre watching The Avengers again, this time with one less D, as you posted this. I got to tell the kid sitting next to me about Jack Kirby and how so much of this stuff came from his pen originally. That was sweet.

In 1977 I was thirteen years old and Avengers had been my favourite comic for years. Star Wars was okay but I was more into the Marvel Universe. Thank you for giving thirteen year old me the movie I really wanted then. Forty-seven year old me is enjoying the success of your movie as much the movie.

Kiba's about to ramble. And she's talking about herself in the third person. Take cover, all!

My most beloved Joss that is of Whedon, my heart is full of emotions I can't even begin to express. So happy for you on your repeated successes. I've been reading really old interviews of yours - like, almost 15 years old, which is a nanosecond in Internet Press Time - and seeing the way you answered interview questions about things like directing a movie for Marvel would make me believe in The Law of Attraction and The Secret and stuff, if I didn't also know that you work harder than my brain can fathom and that it is your hard work that has, over the long tail, attracted the attention of folks who are employing you to do this kind of thing now.

There's an event called Script Frenzy that challenges folks to write a script in a month. I'm a middle school librarian now and I required my student assistants to participate, writing their own scripts, and I wrote along with them. I wrote a passably-mediocre draft of what I call Buffy Begins and it was just a world of fun, when we sat down to do a table read of selected scenes from all the kids' scripts and I started with a scene from mine as an example, to say, "This is based on a TV show that was created by the same guy who wrote and directed The Avengers. GO SEE THE AVENGERS."

I'm worlds excited for Much Ado. Beatrice is my favorite character in all of Shakespeare, and I'm so so thrilled to watch Amy directed by you bring her to life. (So self-endear'd! My favorite favorite thing Hero says about her.)

Your work has gotten me through a miserable clinical depression (though I'd bet there aren't any that aren't miserable), a horrible stretch of loneliness while I worked in a rural town where I seemed to be the only young unmarried person, all the ups and downs of a teaching career, two graduate degrees, and I'm sure many more things to come. You and your collaborators (Tim and Jane, esp., but many others as well) write stories that speak so powerfully to my spirit. And the community of your peeps has given me many of my dearest friends.

Also, thank you for introducing me to Mo. Her rock star way of living with lupus is inspiring me through my own autoimmune-disease-induced epic quest for healing.

Out of the three films this year I'm definitely the most excited for Much Ado About Nothing. I just know it will not disappoint.
So happy to know Joss will never overlook the peeps that came before. Love.

PURPLE!!!! I'm beyond whelmed at all the Joss-love! I'm so ridiculously proud to have loved you when and never have I been happier to utter the words "told ya so".I caused so much trouble when my band wanted to practice on Tuesday nights they finally agreed to change the night just to shut me up (and I'm the singer) so I could watch my Buffy. Uh, your Buffy...our Buffy?
Stay Purple, we will always love you-ooh-ooh!
Also, thank you for the thank you and right back atcha.
I just can't stop smiling these days

Haven't posted here since forever, but I really wanted to just add one more little 'thank you' to Joss Whedon.

This was a really emotional read for me (for many of us I imagine), but it was preceded but many other equally emotional moments recently, most importantly, the spontaneous mass clapping at the end of The Avengers (and the Directed by Joss Whedon card) in many theaters. I haven't ever witnessed such a thing before in my life (bar the odd case in a film festival).

It couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy.

Joss, thank you for this amazing experience, but more importantly, thanks for everything you've done all these years. Proud, as always, to be a fan.

Wow, just wow. :) Reading this entire post gives me giggles, tickles, and all sorts of other fluffy feels. One can only wonder what comes next on tv, internet and big screen - hopefully a lot? Thank you Joss. Being a fan here is an honor.

The Court Jester. Yes. Very yes. Nowadays, the only people who could pull off a role like that are probably Alan Tudyk and Donald Glover. But then who'd play Basil Rathbone, or the king, or Maid Jean, or, or, or.

Sigh.

But this movie! Galaga! Wit! Helicarriers! (Okay, singular.) Cartoon violence performed upon a live-action Tom Hiddleston! And enough money to make Scrooge McDuck himself get all despondent with the jealousy!

I suspect you won't read ALL of these comments, but I wanted to say thank you all the same. Today happens to be my birthday (along with about 19 million other people, I know) and I needed a lift and your post here provided one.

I have been a huge fan of your work since 2004 when I started watching Buffy (followed by Angel, Firefly, Serenity, Dr. Horrible, Dollhouse, "Business School," "Dream On," etc. - not necessarily in that order). And somehow my love of your storytelling makes me feel connected to your great success with the Avengers. Why is that? It's odd. Many people in these comments have said they feel proud of you for your success. I feel that too but I don't fully understand why.

Here's my guess: I think it's because you have affected me deeply with stories that acknowledge and celebrate our shared humanity, fallibility, and heroism. It's an extension of the idea that we're all in this together. All of it.

And I have never met you but everything I hear about you from people who have is that you are a gracious and humble person. So it's like there's room for others to share their joy at your triumphs.

And this post of yours is an example of how you choose to share your success with your fans.

Hmmm...and just yesterday I was thinking to myself "Joss has been strangely silent throughout all of this craziness. No posts since 2011..." Then lo and behold, this gem. I did a little jig. Not gonna lie.

Congrats to you, Joss!! Couldn't have happened to a more deserving person. Can't wait for your next projects!

Many congratulations on the well-deserved success, Joss. Brilliant movie.

In related news, House of Secrets in Burbank had a group of cosplayers, primarily Avengers, who came by on Free Comic Book Day to posing for photos with kids. I was standing by a dad who was holding his son, maybe three or four years old. The little boy pointed at the group and said "Look dad, it's Hawkeye!" That's who he was most excited to see.

So if you accomplished nothing else with this movie (besides records and money and critical acclaim and things), you made Hawkeye cool and gave a little boy a new favorite hero.

THIS! All of this. It makes me so happy and so smiley.
I wish I had better words to convey the feelings beyond me clapping like a seal at both 'Cabin' and 'Avengers' when Joss' name appeared on the screen.

Congratulations, Joss, and thank you for sharing the love. I've been coming to the black almost daily since 2005, not just to bask in your awesome purpleness, but to celebrate the art of storytelling. The stories that we need to hear and to feel . . . and to watch Hulk smash. Fame or not, I'll be here waiting for the next yarn you want and need to spin.

First off, congratulations Joss Boss on your much-deserved success. There's bound to be more because I haven't even added my own $10 to the pot yet. You might be able to afford TWO nice meals!

So, now that you've completed your community service pretending to be a bird, I personally am impatiently waiting for MUCH ADO ABOUT SOMETHING. Not because I have an exam to study for or anything, I'm just a big Shakespeare Geek. (What? We exist!)

To quote the Bard (who is credited with creating this word in the first place): Hurry! (R&J, Act III, Sc 2)

Oh, wow. What a lovely thing to wake up to. Thank you, Lord Purple. As for so many others here, your storytelling has fed my soul for lo! these dozen or so years. Also as for so many others, I have felt oddly, deeply, personally *proud* of your staggering Avengers success. Like, misty-eyed proud. Vinaka saka.

Wow, it's my birthday today and this is a LOVELY thing to wake up to. And congrats congrats on the success of Avengers, it was big fun! RuffaHulk FTW. (Also, "Better clench up, Legolas" + pretty much everything out of Stark's mouth.) With gratitude from a Whedonette minion!

Oh my purpleness! I can't believe you are still talking to us!
Thank you,Joss for this movie and for continuin to care.
Now,to business. When can we expect the release of BDM2 and Goners?
:D joking, pf course.

Take a day off,youve earned it.

Oh, and thanks for introducing the world to 'mewling quim' I know it's a horrible insult and I'll be using it as often as possible

For The Avengers, of course, but mainly for everything else! I'm a huge Buffy fan (but let's be honest : who here ISN'T?!), and I'm looking forward to all your other projects, not matter what they are. I want Dr. Horrible 2, but hell, I also want The Avengers 2!

Love you Joss. Enjoy your many meals and truffles! As for that tiny Avoider-thingie film of yours, I was there the first weekend, I'll be there the second, and probably the third and fourth as well. If there's a spike somewhere in the twentieth weekend, that's probably me too. (Same goes for the much bigger, better advertised, definitely non-shelved one, something to do with a forest...?) And after that, Shakespeare in the non-park! Joyful is the life of a... peep.

Lovely post. I haven't seen The Avengers just yet (I just watched Thor & Captain America last night so I'd be "caught up" before going). My husband and I will be celebrating our 10th anniversary by going to see it this Friday night! :)
I'm very happy for you. And for the record, I would give up all other guests if I could see you at Dragon*Con. ;)
And that video is awesomeness!

Not enough words to say how amazing this feels as a "peep," so I can only imagine how it is for you. LOVED Avengers this weekend. Might have to see it in theaters again. (Probably won't see it as many times as I saw Serenity in theaters though. How weird is that?)

I actually burst out laughing when I saw an article saying you were a relatively unknown director until my husband pointed out that not everyone is as big Joss groupie as I am. I am super pumped to see Avengers, but even more pumped to see Much Ado About Nothing. Very excited you're finally getting the recognition you deserve!!

Even though you'll never read this, here is my testimonial, Mr. Jossir:

Several years ago, on the night before Can't Stop the Serenity, I had to go to the Emergency Room in terrible pain. To keep my sanity I went away to Serenity. Walked around the galley, ran my hands over the table, looked at Kaylee's flowers on the walls. Thought about War Stories... started joking with the nurses who were hurting me, like Mal did with Niska.

The next day I got myself drugged to the gills on painkillers and went to Can't Stop the Serenity. Wouldn't miss it for anything.

'Nuther story... My late husband was scheduled for open heart surgery. The night before he was to go under the knife was another Can't Stop the Serenity. He insisted I go and bring him back a swag bag. When I got back to the hospital we opened our bags and found fortune cookies. His said, "I am a leaf on the wind." Not funny, Joss! (he survived the surgery, though)

Thanks, Joss, for giving me worlds that are so much better than my own.

Congrats, Joss. It does feel good to be able to say "I told you so," and not just 'cause the flick made a gazillion $, but because the film itself is amazing and, well. Joss-esque. Managing to give each character screen time and depth makes the scene we knew was coming, and that was seen in every trailer and commercial, where they all come together, still give me goosies. Well done, sir!

And the cherry on top? A nice long and witty (what else) thank you to the oldtimers.

For me and my family, attending Cabin and The Avengers on their opening weekends is my way of saying thank you. Joss, your work has helped me through the death of a dear friend, and other rough times, and I will always be grateful. Oh, and both movies were marvelous. ;-)

Always glad to see some purple on here. Thank you Joss! You are an inspiration to everyone here on this site and I think we all give out a big smile when we see you post. Congrats on the success of the avengers however you have been nothing but a success to us over the years. Cheers!

It was very exciting to come in for my initial dose of Whedonesque and see the Joss name on a post. I was hoping you'd stop by sometime soon, but definitely wasn't expecting it this soon!

Thanks for a fantastic film. Thanks for everything you have given us, and everything you will continue to give us in the future. Any medium, any scale, I just can't wait (I just hope that one of them is a TV show like you said ;o) ). Thank you for sharing your very interesting and wonderful mind with us! :o) Hope you are getting some much deserved rest!

(I was thinking after my second time seeing The Avengers how it was cool being a Joss fan (and, for that matter, a Mark Ruffalo fan) before everyone else was, but, it was even cooler after The Avengers woke so many people up and made so many more fans. And then it's cooler still after reading this post :))

I...I don't write often, for fear that the words will crowd against their exit, jostling one another with so much emotion that what gets out is "bleachsjhsjahks" and also "quarp". But I was hoping for a note from Joss, and now that we have one, this becomes the best place to add my thanks. We call Whedonesque "the black"--like outer space, like somewhere vast and drifting--but it is never cold, never "ground control to major Tom" alone. We are other (or at least on the outskirts) because we have all dared to think, to question, to believe and to love. We have dared to say the soft things loud, to wake up every day and try to be capital-H Human. Whether we look up to Mal or Buffy, Angel, Spike, Echo, Dr. H, Topher, Giles, Willow, Tara...or, you know, Glory (shoes), we have all learned how to be a little more raw, a little more real, and a lot more courageous thanks to Joss and all the creators he inspired.

It's weird and wonderful to watch this huge Hollywood success. Has the world finally woken up? Has the general public realized that smart, authentic emotion is worth its attention? I think it's possible it never forgot; that people were just waiting for something to jolt them away from the everyday static and for two hours and twenty-two minutes tell them the secret we--whedonesquers--grab onto each morning: "If nothing we do matters, then all that matters is what we do".

Thank you, Joss, and thank you all for venturing into the black by my side!

I guess no matter how many successes one has under one's belt, it's still scary as shit to put your stuff out there. It's nice to know that by coming here and writing silly stuff and discussing my ideas about your work with people I've never met (but feel quite fond of), I am giving you something back to you in return for all the pleasure and support your work has given me. Congratulations. And you're welcome. : ) Much love to you from The Black. (And as always, I'm looking forward to whatever story percolates next.)

Maybe NEXT week I can finally see Marvel's Revengers. (Please tell me someone twirls a mustache.) I have been looking forward to it for soooo long and it's getting harder and and harder to remain unspoiled. Too many people have seen it! (What a problem to have... Hee.)

Now the world knows what we've always known: that it's "Joss" with an 's' and not "Josh" with an 'h' Whedon.
This brings another bubble of thought to the surface: with this level of Joss's commercial success comes (more) fame beyond just the loyal Whedonites of yore. [Some of us are pretty much very yore.] And with such fame comes recognition. With recognition comes being mistaken for Joss Stone -- which can't be all that bad. Who wouldn't want to be mistaken for a twenty-something sultry songstress? I'm sure Joss wouldn't mind that.
:)

Happy purple prose-y tears to cap off a birthday. (Aside: Happy birthday, StalwartTrue and almost cookies!) The Avengers, the Buffy and Serenity titles for FCBD, and now words from the scribe himself? My cup overfloweth.

A toast to our beloved Jossir--to your continued success and long-overdue name recognition. ;P

(Would I be flogging a dead horse to ask, once again, about that Buffy the Animated Series I've been waiting so patiently for since 2002-2003? I'm imagining action figures. Cute, cartoon-y action figures.)

I saw The Avengers twice this weekend. I had so many good feelings for this movie, and it helped me through a tough personal time. Joss, even at your biggest, you're still finding a way to heal my heart.

Life is funny. Not haha funny, actually yeah haha funny. I'm sure Joss remembers all those times that the suits tried to tell him how to do his thing and part of him now might want to say , "dude, maybe you should have listened to me." But he won't. Hopefully next time they will.

Our peep army grows, we are legion. Welcome to the bandwagon! Thaty'll come in handy someday I'm sure. Me? I'm a bronzer. I've been to all the posting board parties. I've written postcards and helped organize a coat drive to help save Firefly. I walked the red carpet of Serenity and picketed with the man himself during the writer's strike. I'm a career man. (I only have one rule. Everyone fights and no one quits!)

I hope Joss goes to the internet next. It's where he can make the most difference. If I were YouTube I'd be on the phone with a nice sized check for a Mutant Enemy channel. Or maybe see if Netflix is interested in an original show. Oh yeah Serenity II: Back to the Black, if you can fit that in that would beyond rock. We are talking asteroid. (meaning how much it would beyond rock not potential plot.)

So congrats Joss! Whatever is next you know where to find me-right here.

I knew things were "different" when my step son came back from the movies and said "Hey, did you know Joss Whedon made the Avengers?" "Yes" "Wrote, directed, like 14 credits but didn't produce it?" "yep, I TOLD you that" "oh, was that THIS Avengers movie??"
[ebeep99 rolls her eyes skyward] Kids. Do they listen?

In the meantime, Joss, know that in my humble personal opinion the answers to all of life are encompassed in Buffy. I lend my DVD set to women having rough times and tell them they can find their answers inside the box....

My first husband forced me to watch the Buffy premiere and it hooked me. Season 3 gave me the strength to recognize he was a jerk and move on. Season 5 allowed me to let go of things I thought were important, material things.

Thank you for not being afraid to make the shows others didn't see value in..... because those of us who are your peeps know that we can find ourselves in your work.

Got home. Heard there was a Joss post. DROPPED EVERYTHING AND RAN TO THE NEAREST COMPUTER.

Thank you Joss, only you would come off of a record breaking weekend to talk to the "peeps". And very thanks for the movie(s). And the truffles! Just know that whatever you do next, we'll all be there. Regardless of how perfectly imperfect it is. Especially of how perfectly imperfect it is.

Congrats, Joss. And thanks for the post. I would say "it couldn't have happened to a nicer guy," but how can I really know that? :) Best of luck, and when you are thinking about what to do with all your fame and $$, don't forget the BtVS-verse.

I couldnt be happier, truly. Your work has always spoken for itself, and really given us the viewers real connections and payoffs with the characters, plots and shows we have invested ourselves in. Sitting in that theater, and seeing how much the 'newcomers' have enjoyed, and given credit where credit is due was surreal and wonderful. Its the sincere joy felt for the succes of a loved one, because in many ways you have and are quite the member of my family for all youve brought/bring into our home. Such an interesting sentiment for someone whos work ive followed for 15 years and have never met. With all the sincerest congratulations, long overdue Joss.
Laz

I am being a terrible English teacher right now and writing this post instead of closely supervising my students while they work. Though part of me feels that if in May I STILL need to watch them like a mother hen then I have not done my job and they are not ready to be contributing members of society. But I digress...

Joss, thank you so much for your kind words to the fandom (though I like peeps and I now refer to us as the peepdom). We are very loyal peeps (as you obviously know) and we are very protective of you and your work. I know that I have been worried about my Whedon-world being infiltrated by people who have not appreciated your work from the beginning but I realize that is silly and I should just be happy that people are finally recognizing your ability to tell a great story.

Anywho, I am excited to hear that your first love is TV and that you will return to the small screen. I too love TV and your voice is sorely missed.

"If you think topping a box office record compares with someone telling you your work helped them through a rough time, you're probably new here."

It means so much that you acknowledge that. I know I'm not alone here when I say that BtVS was the reason I not only survived, but thrived during adolescence. It gave me strength to deal with all the crap that one inevitably faces during teen years. Thank you for creating great television, and thank you for taking the time to reach out to us in the wake of all this amazing commercial and critical success. It's well earned.

Love seeing purple on Whedonesque! Not only my favorite color, but the color of one of my favorite people! I feel all warm and fuzzy now, and filled with large buckets of pride! As a fan since the BTVS pilot hit the air, it has been my privilege extolling your awesomeness to everyone I meet. Of course my jaw hurts now from all the utterings of 'I toldya so' these past few weeks. Congratulations on the success of The Avengers! You deserve every ounce of it!

Now....to get the picture out of my head of The Ultimate Drew as a foppier Loki.

The Court Jester. Yes. Very yes. Nowadays, the only people who could pull off a role like that are probably Alan Tudyk and Donald Glover. But then who'd play Basil Rathbone, or the king, or Maid Jean, or, or, or.

Watching How I Met Your Mother, I've come to the conclusion that NPH is the Danny Kaye of our generation. His facial ticks are right out of Danny Kaye's handbook, and he can do the physical comedy, as well as sing and dance.

Thing one: The Poop Coach. My son is 16, therefore anything I adore is uncool. Since every Christmas he endures my Buffy themed Nativity scene (Miss Edith is Baby Jesus), well, he's determined not to like you. Until the Poop Coach. He showed it to me the other day and was delighted enough to reconsider going to the Avengers with me. Winning over a new generation (with poop). Go Joss.

Thing two: Thank you. Because of you (really, you) I wrote my first story. It was just a little bit longer than the first Harry Potter book. Now I'm writing my second and it will wrap up at about 130K words. Sometimes my tale will make someone laugh or cry. I read a journal entry where a stranger said that my story was getting her through a dark time. I had no idea what that would feel like and I wouldn't have if not for you. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

This is just awesome. I got into Buffy in 5th grade, on it's second season, and was with Angel, Firefly, and Dollhouse from their network debuts, as well as every other Joss project. Could not be more happy for his success!

I think I can safely say what the people want though...POOP COACH, THE SEQUEL!

Joss, I'm grateful for the hours upon hours of really amazing, unique happiness you've brought into my life. It's weird that someone so actually far removed from it can do that, but, baby, you've got the gift. It's so wonderful that you're thanking your fans, but I, personally, feel like you've done more for me than silly old me could ever do for you. So thank YOU!

THIS is why we love you :) Seriously. Congratulations. and thank you SO SO much for the sweet note. We (and the hordes of new fans -- hi there, welcome!) can't wait to see what's next.

In the meantime, planning to see The Lavenders again this week. Truthfully, it did help me through a rough patch last weekend; it's the best time I've had in a while. It's all I could talk about (Mr. Boyfriend is very very understanding -- and one of your new peeps by the way). Not surprisingly, long after I was out of the movie theater, I kept thinking about scenes I loved, ("He's adopted" Hee), and the epic, overarching themes and threads, how they are so SO reminiscent of your other work ("Not Fade Away" anyone?), how it's coming full circle, ... I feel grateful for being able -- like all the old peeps here -- to have such an appreciation for the depth of the movie through my longstanding love of Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Serenity, Dollhouse and Dr. Horrible. Your work has sincerity and integrity; and, you know, flying aliens; I'm glad the whole world can see it now.

The fact that you took time to post here and be so generous, considerate and graceful is absolutely why we will not only always love your work and watch/read everything your create (and, yeah, buy T-shirts and action figures) but just really really dig you as a person.

Mr. Joss, thank you for all the TV, movies, comics, Internet-improving musicals. And thank you for this letter, because for me, fannish love is kind of like radio signals - we send it out into the universe, but it's really wonderful when it pings back off something, that us telling you you made us feel something, makes you feel something because you made us feel something. (If anyone followed that, I will give her/him/them a cookie.)

Seriously, thank you. Just one question - we are now peeps? Does this mean we are now inedible marshmallow Easter treats?

So I was thinking... I might celebrate this, uh, victory (?) by moving the decimal point to where I can handle it and sending Equality Now a sum in my ball park. What was the weekend tally? 207 million? So 20.70 extra it is. I wish it were more. Like 207.00 dollars, but if I could have afforded that, I would have gone to the April shindig... which I still wish I could have attended for more than just to ask him after having seen Cabin in the Woods just what the heck is wrong with him?? ;) So yeah, celebration donation.

No other person has had as lasting influence on the awkward moments of my life than your work. Buffy got me through my bad relationships after high school and through college and taught me how much I love strong women. Angel got me through depressions of loneliness of being on my own in strange territory. And when I suffered a disability, The only thing that got me out in the world after two years was shaking your hand on the red carpet of the Serenity premier, even though my girlfriend at the time had to hold me up to do it. Do not ever think for a moment that you don't deserve this.

Thanks, Joss. For the movie, your past work, and for this post. I was hoping you'd swing by here soon. I've been having a tough time not saying "I told you so" to all my unbelieving friends who thought I was crazy this past decade for loving your work so much. Vindication is sweet. :-)

What I love even more is the fact that Joss came here to talk to his small wacky band of followers after this huge success--and that he's still planning to work on relatively small projects, like DH2 and Wastelanders. (I mean, they could both be monumentally successful, but almost anything would be small compared to Avengers).

I love that he cares so passionately about his stories, and about his friends/family/coworkers. I think that's why we end up loving the stories so much, because they come from that place of really caring.

You're a pretty amazing guy, Mr. Whedon. I'm kinda ridiculously proud that I can tell people, "I knew all about him BEFORE the Avengers." :-)

congratulations! you deserve it. you deserve to stick it to WB and DC and FOX.

And FINALLY when I say my favourite writer/director is Joss Whedon, people won't say "never heard of him" and look at me like I'm turning into a zombie. I'm glad that you'll now have an even wider audience to communicate with!

*everybody jumps on the bandwagon*

I have always watched your stuff and to this day (yesterday even) I have been always always been promoting your art and words.

You inspire me to write and I'll always support you because the funny thing is you always pull through, impress, communicate and touch the hearts of those smart enough to listen.

Your DIRECTING game has really stepped up as well!

I hope to one day work with you on something! I hope one day to mirror your career working as a writer director on worlds i've created to show people the irony of our world. And I hope to stay as humble and loving to my "peeps" as you have!

Joss, thanks so much for taking the time to write to us. It's so awesome to read another of your posts.

I've been a fan since nearly the beginning. I wasn't planning on watching Buffy since it was based on a movie. I thought, "How in the world can this show be any good?" Boy was I wrong. I was flipping through the channels one night and happened to catch the episode, "Angel". I was hooked & I've been hooked ever since.

The show helped me through lots of bad times, mostly to do with depression. Tuesday nights nobody was allowed to talk to me while Buffy was on unless it was a commercial - the days before we had DVRs, I do not miss them.

The premise to Firefly sounded a little silly to me but since I loved Buffy & Angel I had to give it a try. I watched it during the original airing and I liked it enough to get the DVD set when it came out. My son had a friend spending the night so I decided to watch it on my computer in my room instead of the TV so they could use it. I couldn't stop watching. I stayed up all night watching the show and cursed FOX the entire time for airing the show out of order & skipping episodes entirely. The show became so amazing when viewed the way it was intended.

My son was too young for Buffy during the early years, but he did get to watch Firefly with me. I also took him to opening night of Serenity & we both loved it. We have bonded over your work over the years - though I am way more into it than he is as a general rule.

Avengers came out for my birthday - well, technically it was the 4th and my birthday is the 3rd but since we went to the Midnight show I still count it as my birthday. My son said it was the most fun he's had at the movies in a long time. I can't wait to see it again - which I sadly won't be able to do right away.

See right now your works are helping me deal with Cancer. Chemo is working but it does make me tired and Buffy, Angel, Firefly, Dollhouse, etc. have all helped me get through days. Cabin In The Woods is also excellent & my sister got me the Visual companion and novel for my birthday. I've also been reading those & I can't wait to see Cabin again.

I'm really looking forward to all of your upcoming projects large and small. I hope you enjoy your success but also remember to rest some. We don't want you to get sick from overwork. We need more stories.

Weeping tears on the inside. But they are real tears of joy. My insides are soaked.

Mr Whedon, you've successfully made us all think, laugh & cry, sometimes all at once. A feat only accomplished by our worst politicians. I look forward to years more of tears, thought & laughter. Only in the good way. The best way possible.

Now go get drunk. Iron Man drunk. You deserve it. Thank you Mr Whedon for your years of service.

I'm faculty advisor to my high school Cheerleading team in my day job, and the girls have a cheer they give when other teams perform in competition. I'd like to offer it to you (plus, it seems appropriate to the guy that brought us Buffy):

Now that I'm awake and can use my own words instead of just stealing Joss's, I have to say:
Thank you, Joss, for writing to the smart seats. I was addicted to you for 8 years with only my sister and the critics to share this addiction. It wasn't until just before Serenity that I discovered Internet fandom and friendships that have endured for almost 7 years now. Love does make her a home. Whether it's here at Whedonesque, at Goners, or on twitter, I'll always be thankful for the friends you've given me. (I'd hug your genius idea-filled head, but I think Wiggs owns the copyright on that idea. And we don't want to upset the Missus. ;)

I don't got much, except many thanks to Jossir ; ] for posting so kindly & eloquently so soon after the recent opening box office SMASH success of Assbenders. I didn't think he'd forget his peeps who knew him when.

In addition to his work helping me through some rough times, he's also brought me so many good friends and happy acquaintances and fulfilling creative experiences via the fandom (especially my Goners-peeps) that I couldn't even begin to thank him. But I do.

Also, yes, dev, where the hell are the sockpuppets for which I yearn? I'm pretty sure his truffle-meal money would finance the sock puppetry that we've all been waiting for.

Fun little record-smashing movie you made there, too. My eyeballs still feel all noisy, in a good way, from watching it a couple nights ago. And my dear friend, a calm and unflappable sort, not previously a Whedonite but who knows of the Marvel world far more than I, actually jumped straight up in his seat, gasped, and flung his hands up to his face when a certain character (sorry, trying not to spoil) appeared at the end. [Me: "Um, who's that guy?" Him: "[name]" Me: "Um, Big Evil?" Him: "!!!!!"] So I think he's officially in the parade with the rest of us now, and maybe I can finally convince him to watch Buffy. Splendid of you to make a groovy blockbuster so your peeps can finally say, "See, I TOLD YOU SO!" (but, you know, with more mature and subtle diction) to all their friends who tragically just didn't get it before.

Off for some shawarma now. Enjoy staring at the kids, Mighty Purple One.

P.S. Please tell RDA to do his homework -- it's The Reciprocal Inflictors of Injury, for crying out loud.

I love you Joss, so much I'm punching this comment in with my leetle Kindle Fire stylus-very imperfect. I, a Kalifornia-n, spelled funny cuz I am in Londonium and saw the most perfect Sweeney Todd today and in a couple of days I'll be seeing The Avengers. Also in London town. There is no bigger thrill for me (okay, possibly paying my respects to Lord Olivier at Westminster Abbey) but that's it, I swear. Thanks for visiting your troops in the trenches where we will always be pulling for you. Speaking of trenches (and obliquely zagging) does the Tube make you sweat? Descending down to catch the Bakerloo line is like entering
the 5th circle of Purgatory or something. All the best to you with so much more to look forward to.

Thanks for a fun morning read, Joss. Watched Firefly from the first aired episode, loved it, and subsequently watched all 7 seasons of BtVS. Love all your work, and will go back and see Aventures again, because I missed a lot the first time around.

I suspect the high expectations going into this production may have caused you a few sleepless nights, but you handled it with panache, at least from where I sit in the cheap seats. ;) Congratulations. Enjoy the moment. You've earned it.

I would love to see you produce another weekly show, either on T.V. or the intertubes.

Thank you, Joss, for The Avengers, The Cabin in the Woods and for everything you did before that.

I've said this before and I will continue to say it: Joss, you changed my life, introducing me to some of my closest friends through your work and this site, keeping me sane during some down times, giving me laughter and tears and love and sadness, sometimes all in the same episode or movie (and in real life, I might add).

Your success is not a surprise to those of us who have been following you for a number of years, but it is a joy to see your name up on the big screens again (CitW and Avengers), just as it was in 2005 the third time I saw Serenity (the first two times didn't have credits.) ;)

A month today, we will be watching Serenity on a big screen again as Vancouver hosts our 7th annual CSTS event. As the organiser and MC of CSTS Vancouver, I will be even prouder to stand up and introduce the movie this year.

...and Joss has me crying yet again! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for letting us share your work. Buffy has seen me through some tough times, and it was a shared love of Angel that got me to see my husband in a new light back when he was my arch nemesis. You deserve all of the congratulations and successes in the world. I can't wait to see what you will be bringing us next.

I also started crying. I'm so happy for him and this is why my love is unwavering.

Also, so many news outlets have written about this letter including the NY Daily News, NY Times, Hollywood Reporter, Washington Post, etc. They're all linking to this page and I feel like I'm on TV. Hi Mom!!!

First off, tell Mr. Actualperson it's Whedonistas. That's the proper name of the true believer, such as myself. I speak the truth! I actually have the Hemery High School Yearbook aka the press kit from the original Buffy movie, signed by Kristy Swanson, acquired through total dumb luck. It'll be 20 years for that movie this summer, At least it also gave us Hillary Swank and Ben Affleck.

Second, what is this movie called "The Avoiders?" Is it about some TV executives who thought we'd all forget about Nathan Fillion after his TV show about brown coats went off the air?

Third, you bet Cabin in the Woods is in some theaters, with plenty of showings. Try that movie instead of the pantomime version of Dark Shoadows that has unjustly kept the Avengers off my local Imax where I live.

So, I'll see The Avengers again this weekend, and of course the Batman movie just after Comic-Con. I guess this year Joss' annual address will have to be a Qualcomm Stadium this year, but Petco Park will also do.

Thank you for all your hard work on Avengers. Long ago, my friend Alice texted me from the Disney commissary excited that you were there with a million pieces of paper scattered over a huge table. You were trying to make sense of a very complicated story and you succeeded in getting it all up there on the screen (minus the cut 30 minutes I'll enjoy on Blu-ray). You are my Big Damn Hero, sir. If I may drop an Iago-like whisper in your ear.... Serenity 2: Sihnon Boogaloo.

Mr. Whedon, you are the very bestest. A True Blue Class Act. Words can't describe, but we just keep on trying to use them. This means so much, everything you make and say has meant so much. I will invent a new word of thanks: "kersnnnarfffll-ak". It's a spontaneous expression-sound exemplifying all my love and Joss-appreciation, as followed by a skewering from behind. It means: thanks and thanks and thanks.

I think I might just go see The Crustaceans again.

And criminy but Cabin in the Woods was really REALLY good too. Cut it out, you're making us look bad.

I just wanted to take a moment to say a quick “thanks” and suggest just how much this all means to me. If there’s a theme that crops up in your work more than any other, I’d wager it’s that of the families we create, rather than the ones we are born into. The Avengers explores this theme quite nicely, and we’d expect nothing less from you.

What I find truly inspirational is this: the community that has been built surrounding your work is such a fantastic example of a created family and it makes the success of The Avengers somehow feel like a personal victory. I don’t post here very often. I will never meet most of the people who do post here, nor will I likely meet the countless fans across the world that don’t visit this website. It might seem silly, but when I learn that someone is a fan of your work, it really does tell me something about them, and not just about their taste in art. I feel like a part of a family, even if it is a family of relative strangers

Like most people here, and by here I think I mean Earth, I’ve struggled mightily in my life to feel like I belong. Most of the time, I feel quite alone and insignificant. This community gives me a sense of belonging that is sorely lacking in most of my life. I have so deeply internalized your work that your success fills me with a profound sense of satisfaction. Seeing the words “A Joss Whedon Film” in a sold-out IMAX 3D screening… seeing audiences not only show up in droves initially, but keep coming back in unprecedented numbers while awarding the film a cinemascore of A+… reading the overwhelmingly positive reviews… watching the reactions of the friends I took with me when I saw the movie a second, and then a third time this weekend… these things all gave me more of a rush than I think I’ve experienced in all of 2012, with the possible exception of my first viewing of Cabin in the Woods at a Boston pre-screening.

It’s worth noting that it wasn’t until I found myself plopping down yet another $15 for my third screening that I realized just how much I loved this film. It is obviously a collaborative work remaining consistent to the world previously created by many other artists, and yet it is so obviously the work of my favorite artist and it’s a film that I feel as though I can recommend to everyone I know. I may even treat it as a gateway drug. I certainly seem to have peer pressure on my side. Mark my words, they’ll be freebasing Buffy in no time.

I guess what I’m getting at is that seeing the commercial and artistic success of this film makes me ecstatic, an emotion I rarely feel, and the fact that you feel a connection with the fans… knowing that it’s mutual… knowing that you took the time to write a classic Joss Whedon message to us at a time when you could probably just be walking around naked demanding people’s first-borns and calling them mewling quims, it’s a sign of the humanity, warmth, and just overall superlative quality found in both your work and your self.

Thank you so much for your generosity, your hard work, and the love that shines through in everything you do. It has helped so many of us feel a sense of family and belonging that is sorely lacking in this world. As an artist, being rich has never really been a goal of mine, but creating something that affects someone profoundly is all I’ve ever aspired to. You obviously share that goal, and you succeed every time you share your creativity with the world. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Haven't posted in a while (got me a proper job) but just wanted to say:
Awesome film; bigger man - not just for the peeps love but for all the heartrendingly real emotions you've elicited from me (can I say us?) over the years'. Yes, Joss your works got me through the rough times - and there's an acknowledgement in my PhD thesis to prove it! - but you've also brought the happy too. When Captain America "got that reference" the group of teenage lads next to us so didn't (they concluded it must be very rude). Take care good sir. I await Much Ado with glee and appropriate patience!

Ahhh! Yay!
Don't have the time write out a well-written response, but just wanted to express my thanks for all you've done. Since you like to hear it - Buffy Season 5 is prob the reason I'm still around and who I am today (Season 6 is why I don't eat fast food burgers). You're an astounding artist and look forward to Air Buds 2: Return to Air.
-Grrr Argh

I would like to back up everything slayerinthedark said. I love this place, I love these people, and it's no surprise to me that we've found a family here. We're all very different people, but I think we all may have something in common between us, Joss, and Joss's repeated co-conspirators: that we've all felt lost, outcast, put upon, most likely as if we were born apart from mainstream society (perhaps even born apart from our biological families) and despaired, only to find acceptance and family in a group that we were not born into.

The themes in Joss's works of found family thus resonate with us in a way that they do not among everyone, and so we found this family. It's why we defend it and Joss so fervently, and it's why we feel the need to follow and support the minute actions and careers of everyone who becomes enducted into Joss's cast, crew, and writing staff. They are all parts of our extended family, and the extended metaphor of Joss's work. Scooby/Browncoat/Foxtrot for life!

I'm far more cocky about "The Summer of Whedon" (Like The Summer of Sam, but with less murdering of young women and more uncomfortable sex scenes) than I should be, considering I didn't work on these films. And yet I feel accomplished and proud of the work Joss & Co have done by default as a super fan. When people talk about how great Cabin & Avengers are...my reaction is a shrug, a nod, and a shit-eating grin. Following by ZOMG I KNOW RIGHT?! BEST THINGS TO HAPPEN TO LIFE. YAYYYYY.

Today is my son Joss's fifth birthday. Great way to celebrate it! Thanks Big Joss. Little Joss will be eating apple cake today and later this month wondering why people at local cons treat him like a diety.

Joss, thank you for being awesome. Not just because you managed to make a movie that broke some records, but because you always tell smart and interesting stories with heart (and wonderfully quirky lines... you've singlehandedly shaped my sense of humor). And you still remember the little people peeps who've been there along the way. Ever since rediscovering Buffy in college (nearly 10 years ago now), I've been hooked on everything you've done (Firefly, Dollhouse, Dr. Horrible), while many of my friends looked on and wondered why I was such a fan of yours. Between Cabin in the Woods and Avengers, I'm glad that you're finally getting that wider recognition for your talent (bittersweet as it is since now we have to share you with the world).

I'm finally going to go see The Scavengers this weekend, and I'm sure I'll love the heck out of the movie as I have everything else you've done. So enjoy those two extra truffle shavings- that'll be on me!

Thanks for all your work, Joss. Especially for making a show about outcasts which really shaped my outlook as I was growing up. You have deserved recognition for so many years now.
I admire your intelligence and how you have excelled at connecting with your audience. Because of this, I don't think you'll ever outgrow out your popularity. I'm just glad I've been a fan for so long.

@Rambaldi, I agree that Bryan Singer played a large part in the success of modern super hero films and I loved his X-Men films, but Joss was simply calling out the people who personally inspired him in making this film. I'm sure it wasn't meant as a slight. And really, Singer was at least partially responsible for the horrible reading of the infamous frog line in the first X-Men, so I wouldn't blame Joss for still feeling a bit like he messed up a perfectly Whedonesque bit of dialogue.

Ten years ago this past March, my thesis on Buffy earned me a magna cum laude from Harvard. (And then, in July, I joined the newly formed Whedonesque.) This year has been a pretty excellent anniversary gift, sir. Thanks.

One of the many reasons why Joss is the only writer/director/producer/all-around funny guy, etc. that I follow - his humble and grateful self-awareness and connection to the fans. Joss' vision is truly unique and I am so thankful to have discovered his genius. For me, Joss' work has been more than entertainment; he has inspired me, and forced me to question societal expectations and strive to find answers for the problems most people ignore...and all while making me alternately laugh and cry.

I know everyone here will agree that we are so proud of you, Joss - but even as we have shared the emotional roller coaster of triumph and frustration alongside you the past several years, we were also confident that someday the rest of the world would see you as we do.

Us fans have the easy job - we get to watch and feel moved by everything you say and don't say. The real work, the hard work, is all you and your equally talented family (including the little Asian one). So thank you, Whedons! Thank you for giving the world so many new, shiny and beautiful worlds and people over the years.

(Disclaimer: Us fans are also often embarrassingly devoted and ravenously impatient for new material, so try not to make us wait long for more of your unique vision.)
;)

Congrats! I wish Joss a whole mess of success so he can build an empire and be at liberty to carry out his artistic visions with little interference.

I was a late-comer to Buffy. "The Body" was the first episode I watched. Yes, I was a bit confused, but I was also stunned and smitten. As soon as possible, I watched everything that led up to that episode. Then, everything after. But, that is an episode I keep coming back to. I have known loss, and each time it happens again, I have to watch Willow trying to find something to wear and Anya's "fruit punch" speech. It is perfect. If Joss had never given anything more, that would have been enough (for me). I cannot express how much that episode means to me. Thanks.

Very delighted to hear J-Mo had a hand in The Avengers script. I'm very annoyed how Zak Penn has a story credit(and not J-Mo) since uninformed people on other sites keep mentioning how He(Penn) wrote the script with Joss. Edited to add that I know he probably won't read this(guy's pretty busy. and needs some rest.) but I don't think my love for this guy will ever vanish. Even if Avengers had flopped he'd still be the best guy working in Hollywood imo.

Joss, gotta give you props. You got me playing Galaga again! It's been about twenty years since I last played and I'm having a blast rediscovering how much I suck at it. THANK YOU, sir! Oh, and congrats on the movie too.

Some of my cinephile pals are playing down "The Avengers" and I suppose its natural to be suspicious of such a monstrous hit, even if you're predisposed to be a Whedon fan. But, occasionally, a movie is a hit as much because it's a skillfully created piece of entertainment as any other reason, and this is one of those times. I don't see anything to play down here. Well done and a great introduction to what good storytelling can be like for a lot more folks out there who might not know a Whedon from a Bay.

Thanks, Joss. Being a fan of your work has brought me untold pleasure, and, through episodes like "The Body", unspeakable pain. But I wouldn't have it any other way. I hope the success of The Bazingas gives you every opportunity to keep challenging yourself and your audience, because that's what you do best.

If there's any chance that your newly minted giga-stardom opens the door for you to bring Buffy to the big screen - or Firefly to the small one, that'd be awesome. But whatever you do, I know I'll check it out. I just wonder what's next that you HAVEN'T done. All I've got is "game show". I'm sure you could make it work... Anyway, thanks heaps for the stories, characters and words. Life wouldn't be the same without them.

On Saturday, before seeing Avengers for the second time (in Ds that were 3) I stopped at a bookstore in my Joss Whedon is My Master Now t-shirt and the clerk asked me if I had seen his film. I was surprised to learn that he meant Cabin in the Woods, and NOT Avengers! He was surprised to hear that Joss Whedon had written and directed the biggest blockbuster superhero movie ever.

So has every single person at Whedonesque written on this thread by now? Because I gotten get into the BtVS S9 thread!

Abso-freakin-lutely terrific - both your message and your success. I have yet to see this little film of yours (going this weekend) and fell in love with Buffy and Firefly and Doctor Horrible, had less than unconditional love for some others (Dollhouse), but have none but the most honest high regard for you as a person (from what I've seen and read) and as a professional. Kudos, sir.

You make me proud to be a fan of yours, every single time, no matter what I'm reading or watching. Because large or small, you always care about what you put out there, and anybody who reads or watches can tell.

You care, so we care. You find the "human" in everything, now in iconic figures like the Avengers, and that's what we connect with. Never stop doing the things that make you you, and we'll be here.

Thank you for making it impossible for me to get your work out of my brain. Thank you for giving me what I need.

And in the immortal words of Milhouse Vanhouten: "I knew the (Joss) before he came to class!"

Hiya Joss. Congratulations on the success of The Avengers! I am truly so happy for you. Really truly happy.

My sister and I are great big fans of yours. Buffy changed the way I thought about myself and was the catalyst in pushing me to make changes in my life that I would not otherwise have done. Let's just say, I have become more self-aware after being exposed to Whedonverse. :) My sister, on the other hand, named her two daughters after characters in Buffy -- Faith and Willow! Faith is now seven years old and she loved The Avengers! In just a few more years, we'll introduce her to your shows and comic books, :D

You rock. Keep on writing; keep creating shows on the big screen or small screen or computer screen (sorry, not a wordsmith here) -- nobody tells a story like Joss Whedon. Hope to meet you at a Comic Con someday (I'm still saving up for the trip). From your devoted Whedoneer/ Whedonette/ Whedonesqueteer... :D

I'm more than happy to shell out handfuls of dinero and lavish praise as thanks for the way you have made me feel such joy with ALL of your amazing projects for the last decade. YOU ARE THE MAN. Get it in your head, already! Also, I almost died when you thanked 'J-Mo' as this is my (usually unwanted) nickname for reasons I shall not disclose here (not the least of which is that I share it with Jenna Maroney of 30 Rock). So, in my head, you were thanking me personally in an inside-joke kind of way and that's all there's to it. Also, CONGRATULATIONS!!!!!

Thank you Joss for giving me an official #1 favorite movie XD (Serenity's amazing, but I love it just as much as LOTR and Tangled and Matrix... nothing ever pulled ahead). I just saw it a 2nd time, and I rarely watch movies twice in the theater. And I love the squashing of the TDKR rivalry. It annoys me because I just want to enjoy both. They're two completely different genres of CBMs. And I like your earlier comment about Batman movies rarely, and barely, being about Batman because it made me realize how (depressingly) true that is. And I have to add that all of your tv shows have spoiled me so much with their awesomeness that it's hard to get into shows these days :/.

Late to the party, but there were reasons, some of which seems to have been Joss breaking the internet again. Who would have thought that he would still deign to purple here after the triumph of The Averagers?

I just wanted to add my congratulations to Joss on his incredible success. It couldn't have happened to a more deserving artist and it has been a long time coming.

I've been a hardcore Joss Whedon fan for many years. And even though being a fan hasn't always been easy (e.g., when shows/movies that were brilliant inexplicably failed to find a mainstream audience, when network executives meddled with the content) it's all been worth it in the end (even prior to the success of The Avengers). The quality and truthfulness of the stories, the astounding character development, and the emotional resonance and satisfaction that I derived from following the shows have greatly enriched my life.

Thanks Whedonesque and Joss Whedon for these words!
With such a success behind him, i hope Joss will get more regard and authority in Hollywood, probably enough financial support to do what he’d like, even (fingers crossed) to continue Firefly…
I hope he'll remember that HE discovered the beautiful and talented Summer Glau and why not hire her in one of his future productions.

Slayerinthedark, excellent post, you are totally right. This bit in particular resonated for me: "When I learn that someone is a fan of your work, it really does tell me something about them, and not just about their taste in art". When i meet new people and we discover we're both Whedon fans, or even just Buffy fans, it's always followed by a lot of excitement and shared anecdotes & understanding. In a way that doesn't occur with other TV shows/writers. Special.

Just want to say how happy I am for Joss. But even more so for me, because I can finally cash in on my fandom and pose as an uber cool Ex-Whedon dissident.

"Sure, Evangelicalers... that superhero movie... but If you want to see real Joss Whedon, you have to look at his earlier work before he sold out and went mainstream and started wearing Euro-trash guy-jewelery."

Such fun reading everyone’s comments these past two days. You kids are smart and sassy (and can spell). I’m verklempt for Joss and honoured to be here with you guys, sharing the joy. When WE went down last night, my reaction made me realize that I might have some sort of...issues.

Change is good, but some things will take a while to morph. Expending a lot of energy evangelizing “The Contenders”, convincing people who wouldn’t normally go see it in the theaters to go (with me, if necessary. By force.).

Keep telling myself this type of coercion (a la =insert name of beloved Whedon work here=) is not necessary in this case. But some habits die hard. Kicking. Screaming.

It's good to see Joss still being Joss. This is why we all appreciate and love his work. He's as much of a fan of things as we are. His shows have changed countless lives, no doubt. I have seen The Avengers 4 times already, and I am not the type to watch movies in the cinema, let alone watch them at the cinema several times in a row.

Ever since I saw it first, I'm noticing changes in me as things click together as I analyze characters, the dialogue, camera work and a lot more. It's weird, maybe, but I for one am definitely influenced by Joss' work. And that's the good kind of influence. (IMO anyway)

So, Thank You Joss, for everything you did and do. And thanks for becoming a writer/director instead of a serial killer. :) because that would've just been awkward...maybe...

Thank you Joss. Thank for not only making a movie that made a Marvel gal such as myself ridiculously happy, but for also making a Newsis reference. I'm seeing it on Broadway soon and will now be thinking of you while I watch it... I hope that didn't sound too creepy. I can't wait to see Much Ado because I know it will be great. Congrats on all the awesome that is coming your way (it's about time!) and thanks for continuing to be an inspiration.

PS. You should do a Dr. Seuss-esque (see what I did there) poem or story. With your way with words & ridiculously twisted mind, it would be an instant classic. Just saying.

"If you think topping a box office record compares with someone telling you your work helped them through a rough time you're probably new here."

Just a couple days ago I was playing songs from Once More With Feeling in my art Livestream, and one of my viewers told me the story of how Buffy saved your life.

You, sir, have an immense quantity of my respect. Like all of the respect. I hope I can accomplish what you have, someday - creating stories that touch lives, not the other record breaky thing, although the other thing would be good too.

"If you think topping a box office record compares with someone telling you your work helped them through a rough time, you're probably new here."

Truer words never spoken! Buffy helped me through so much as a teen and as a young adult. Season 6 helped me to know I can make it through the dark times of adulthood even when it doesn't look good. Thank you, Joss. For everything.

You brought a tear to my eye, Joss. You've changed my life and mirrored my brain in ways you can't imagine. If anyone stands still long enough to listen, I compare you to Shakespeare. And yay for the hope of you returning to TV. Bless you, Joss!

I've been a major fangirl from the begining and I have quite a few thank you's for you; so plese bear with me. :) Thank you for changing my perspective on how TV, movies & web series can be created and produced. You are such an inspiration in so many ways, I won't list them all here, suffice to say you are 1 in a VERY large number! My #1 thanks to you will always be this; thank you for not dumbing down you're works. I appreciate more than you will ever know that you consider TV watchers and movie goers more or less intelligent creatures. I can always go into one of your projects (whatever it may be) knowing that I will be intellectually challenged, and that upon multiple viewings I will always uncover things I never saw before. No one does that like you. Thank you for being you and PLEASE don't change!!

Well done on the Avengers and Cabin in the Woods (which I also loved, you wait ages for a Whedon project then two come along at once) and I can't wait (well I can as I have little choice in the matter, but I don't want to) for your upcoming projects.

Picture it -- last week, in a quaint little town by the ocean, in a rocky little land called Norway, a (relatively) young Carnelionne went to the movies. Twice. In one week.

Carnelionne got to see TWO of your movies in one week. In the theater. In her little town, in her little country. It was a damn good week to be Carnelionne. In fact, so good that she started to refer to herself in the third person. Truly, I was literally giddy with excitement and pride.
Thank you, Sir. I am so proud of you, and, for some odd reason, of us.

Way to go Joss! The Avengers (I refuse to use that stupid Marvel Avengers Assemble UK title) is fantastic as was The Cabin in the Woods. By far my two fave films of 2012, and of recent years. The whole world is now in on our secret: Joss is Boss!

Oh Joss, I'll never stop thanking you for all your works, for all these years.
I started watching Buffy from the very start, I was 11 and it helped me a bunch of time during my adolescence. I'm almost 23 and I'm more and more in love with everything you do, your works help me still now.
I'm very happy for your success, you deserve it!
When The Avengers was released I pushed all my family to come with me and watch it because they had to know you, the man I always believe in, they had to know how great you are.
It was the first time that we went to the cinema all together, so I have to thank you for this too.
I'm looking forward to watch The Cabin in the Woods (in Italy isn't released yet) and Much Ado. I know I will love them.
Thanks for everything. Thank you for making me feel never alone.

I went to see Avengers in my Serenity shirt because I wanted everyone to know that I was going as a Joss Whedon fan more than an Avengers fan. I came out of the theater a greater fan of both. Mr. Whedon, words cannot describe your awesomeness. I hope that this achievement opens doors for you that you have only dreamt of, not only because I wish you happiness but because I know that you will always take us along for the ride :)

'buffy' basically raised me and taught me how to live and survive in this world. i am forever grateful to joss just for that alone. but the hours upon hours of wondrous entertainment gotten from projects like 'dr. horrible', 'angel', 'dollhouse', and now 'avengers'--- i feel forever indebted to this man.

thank you for inspiring me to live and thrive in this world. i never feel like a stranger in it when i am watching something you've made.

It's been wonderful to see the Joy of Whedon finding such an immense audience. Maybe now I can get a few more people to watch Dollhouse! ;)

Thank you Joss for laboring with such reckless love on these worlds which so many of us have had as a second home for the last decade (oh I envy the lucky ones who have been there for the whole 15 years!).

You, sir, are awesome and deserve mighty and multitudinous congratulations!

I've gone from teaching your work in my film class to now even offering extra credit (extra credit available to *210* students, sir) for students to go see Cabin and discuss how it relates to what we've done in class.

Thank you so much Joss for writing this for us. I'd been going through a bit of a crisis right after The Avengers came out where I felt incredibly clingy and protective of "Our Joss" (I've seen what extreme fame and popularity can do to people--it's not good!), yet I couldn't deny my very active role in spreading the "Josspel" these past ten or so years. I've been called a hustler for the amount of times I've been spotted passing on my Firefly, Serenity, Buffy, Angel, and Dr. Horrible DVDs (Dollhouse and others to follow, but I tend to move away before my converts can get that far). I always preferred the term "evangelist," though, because it really is good news that I'm spreading: Quality film, strong female characters in the media, and true side-splitting, scream-inducing, and heart-wrenching storytelling DO exist (sometimes all in under an hour)!

So I appreciate your encouragement, Joss. I will try to let go of my clingyness and trust the world to love your work without changing you (unless it's for the better--one of the worst things you can wish for someone is for them not to change at all). Continue with our eternal support.

Yes, thank you, Joss for getting 'mewling quim' out to the masses. Because nothing says feminism like a disgustingly misogynistic catch phrase. But hey, now everyone that I quoted above can feel clever for being a creep!

"Peeps: I'm pretty sure "mewling quim" is British for "whiny c**t." It's what Loki calls Black Widow. So maybe we shouldn't try to work it into our conversations."
betweentheblinks | May 09, 13:19 CET

Tragically, I think that they already know. And I think that they don't care.

"But "quim" is really not a very nice word. Like, c-word levels. Not sure that people should really be crowing about repeating that line.)"
[ edited by KernelM on 2012-05-09 13:18 ]
KernelM | May 09, 13:15 CET

So great of you to write this. I have yet to see The Avengers but I will the first chance I get. I thought it was great that you chose to film a bit in Cleveland bringing that city much needed positive attention. I am excited to see Dr. Horrible 2 is not lost in the sea of madness of success. Congrats on your recent accomplishment!

I love the Avengers movie! I've seen it twice now, and I could seriously have just stayed in my seat and sat through it one more time. I thought Serenity was an amazing movie, but I gotta be honest, this one is crazy fantastic. I felt truly happy, watching this masterpiece while wearing my Blue Sun t-shirt. He is a superb filmmaker. I loved how the opening sequence has a callback to Buffy's final episode. (I just re-watched the entire series). I saw echoes of Dollhouse too. Sorry, rambling. I'm just so happy. After Firefly etc., I'm so happy that the rest of the world has discovered what we knew all along. Joss is not only a genius, he's a wonderful guy. Thank you Joss!

Congratulations Joss!!! And thank you ever so much! It's been an exhilarating ride watching all you've created so far and I look forward to whatever's next. Bask in the glory Joss - you deserve every bit :)

And how late to the party am I? I feel like a very bad fan-err peep, as I have yet to see the movie, although it seems the rest of the world already has. I've stepped into a bizarre alternate universe where my parents (who have given me many a glazed look over the years, as I've squeed about Jossverse related things) have seen something Joss created before me, and this creation is mainstream, record breakingly, money spawningly popular. I am stunned and thrilled to hear how well Avengers is doing. It's strange to feel proud of something I've had no involvement in and haven't even seen yet, but somehow I do. I shall be seeing Avengers (finally!) this weekend (and I have no doubt I'll love every second) and I can't wait for CitW to (finally!) be shown in Melbourne too. Oh, and lol at poop coach.

Congrats Joss. I'm can't help but being super proud reading ur name on the big screen. Now everybody knows what we have known for years. ;) The Avengers was super awesome. And yes, I will watch Cabin in the Woods... boohoo for Germany cuz we have to wait until June to be able to watch it. I will still go. ;) And I cant wait for Much ado about nothing. ;D cuz it is Shakespear. lol.

A great opportunity just to say how happy I am that you are getting such widespread recognition and praise for your brilliant work. It's taken the rest of the world a little longer than those of us who have fallen in love with the Whedonverse at one of the stops along the way, but how wonderful to see someone who has worked so hard and produced so many wonderful TV shows, films, web-films and comic books that have meant so much not only to me, but to many of my friends and to so many other people in the world.

In a way it is a double win for us Whedon-fans, because not only is it great for you to move from cult status to a bonafide mainstream auteur, but the more success you achieve the more great work we get to see. The more great work you produce, the more power and freedom you attain, the more we get to see fantastic ideas realised and maybe even returns to areas of the Whedonverse we miss so much!

Thanks for Buffy. Thanks for Angel. Thanks for Firefly. Thanks for Serenity. Thanks for Dollhouse. Thanks for Doctor Horrible. Thanks for Astonishing X-Men. Thanks for Frey. Thanks for Cabin in the Woods. Thanks for Avengers Assemble. Thanks for your work on Toy Story, and Alien 4, and the better bits of the Buffy film, and even for those two lines in the X-Men film! It must be a wonderful feeling to know how you have made such a difference to so many people's lives - to entertain them, to make them laugh, make they cry, make them think, make them feel, make them sing along to songs about parking tickets... And to have done so with great humanity, intelligence and humour. To have always strived to produce the best quality and never settling for the rubbish that clogs up so much of our entertainment industry.

Thanks so much Joss for all you do to entertain us. The attention and accolades you are receiving now are well deserved and long over due. Please keep creating and telling the stories. You are truly a gifted story teller and a genuine human being.

This is just the perfect example of why we all love you (Joss) so very much. Not only do you make the most engaging and entertaining things for our viewing pleasure, but you take time out of your incredible busy schedule, days after the largest movie release in history, to thank your hardcore fans!

Thank you Joss for the things you create, for the attitude you take towards us (your nuttiest of fans :P), for not allowing a cut throat industry to take your voice out of the things you create. This quote explains it perfectly:

"Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: But it ain't all buttons and charts, little albatross. You know what the first rule of flying is? Well, I suppose you do, since you already know what I'm about to say.
River Tam: I do. But I like to hear you say it.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: Love. You can learn all the math in the 'Verse, but you take a boat in the air that you don't love, she'll shake you off just as sure as a turn of the worlds. Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down, tells you she's hurtin' before she keels. Makes her a home.
River Tam: Storm's getting worse.
Capt. Malcolm Reynolds: We'll pass through it soon enough. "

You love your work and it shows, and as a result we all love it as well.

I cannot possibly do justice to that, so I will just second Beta4life and probably everyone else here and say thank you, thank you for all those fantastic years, incredible shows, and for being so good to your fans. There's a reason that Joss Whedon fans are the best kind of fans I have encountered - part of it is obviously the quality and intelligence of what you produce, and part of it is this post here.
So thank you. And yes, I do appreciate the opportunity to say 'I told you so' to a whole lot of people...

Glorying in the Joss love- both to, and from! I must admit seeing the words "A Joss Whedon film" on that screen delighted me down to my toes and I just laughed with the sheer happiness of it. Thank you, Sir, quite proud to be numbered among your Whedonettes! ***Oh, dear. The word Whedonettes just made the unfortunate image of the great lot of us, standing in line wearing glittery long dresses and bouffant hair-dos, pop in my brain. Might have to come up with an alternate group name. Soon.***

Thank you Joss! Thanks for all this years. But I could never thank you enough for Buffy, and above all, for keep bringing more stories about the Slayer. I hope you never get tired of it. More thanks again, a lot!

funny but relevant to my whole Joss rules the world thing
I was in the hospital last month, and as they were wheeling me out to leave my phone rang and the person pushing me goes "buffy the vampire slayer?" the theme is my ring tone.

Thank you, thank you, thank you for your beautiful post here to us. It makes me adore you even more, and I didn't know that was possible. Thank you that we mean to you what we do; and for embracing our loving adoration for you in turn.

What joy and pride I felt watching "The Avengers." I rejoiced so deeply in your success, it was as if I had something to do with it, though I didn't, yet it sure felt like I did. I felt tears of happiness come up as I saw your name on the screen, knowing that you've truly made it to the tip-top of topness! And that it means there will be so much more of you and your wonderful stories for us to love now! (It is my sincere hope that "Air Bud" is code for "Firefly"! We all hope for that, yes?!)

Having had the genuine pleasure of meeting and then walking with you and Mo and your family and friends, I knew immediately that you are a good man with a warm, loving, beautiful heart. You are also a genius, as your amazing work demonstrates. I've been watching your shows from the very beginning, and you have helped shape my life. I mentioned to you in person how grateful I am for all you do for women, and I'm saying it here again. You are my hero.

Love,

Kcat

P.S. Though I posted my wishes of joy for you on your birthday today in the "Happy Birthday to Joss Whedon!" thread, I wanted to add this here: Happiest Birthday, Joss! May you be blissfully blessed, always, and in all ways! xo